UncategorizedStuart Therapeutics Announces Positive Retinal Indication in vitro Results for PolyCol

April 22, 2019

Stuart Therapeutics, Inc., a pre-clinical stage life sciences company developing solutions for difficult to treat ophthalmic diseases, today announced positive results from in vitro experiments using its proprietary collagen mimetic peptide (CMP), PolyColTM (PolyCol) to probe applicability for conditions associated with dry age-related macular degeneration (Dry AMD). The experimental results demonstrate that PolyCol:

  • Promotes proliferation, migration and network formation of Retinal Pigment Epithelial (RPE) cells in vitro;
  • Repairs damaged collagen matrix fibers restoring parallel orientation similar to that observed in the matrix of uninjured endogenous tissues;
  • Improves collagen alignment in parallel streams by about threefold compared to vehicle treatment;
    With documented statistical significance, increases migration and adherence of RPE cells vs. both vehicle and native collagen;
  • Provides a substrate for migration with less impedance than natural collagen;
  • Provides a useful model of the migration and adherence of RPE cells in vivo in areas of collagen damage accompanying retinal pigment epithelial disruption.

Taken together, these in vitro results support the possible use of PolyCol in promoting RPE cell migration, coverage, and repair in a variety of back-of-eye conditions including dry and wet age-related macular degeneration and other eye disorders, diseases, injuries and conditions involving the retinal pigment epithelium.

“An unexplored area of opportunity exists in the treatment of diseases relating to the retinal pigment epithelium,” said Bob Baratta, MD, Stuart’s Chief Medical Officer. “Stuart tested its proprietary collagen mimetic peptide PolyCol on in vitro models designed to show its potential in retinal indications. The mechanism of action to be tested is similar to that which the company is developing for ocular surface disease indications, where the rapid repair of the basement membrane and other sub-epithelial tissues encourages effective and rapid recovery of the associated epithelial cells. Experimental results show promising and significant results for proliferation, migration and network formation of RPE cells.”

Eric Schlumpf, President & CEO of Stuart said, “We are very encouraged by these test results, and they point to a novel way to treat challenging retinal indications. We are designing in vivo experiments to provide further proof of concept data to support this important opportunity. Due to the unique mechanism of action of PolyCol, we saw several areas of potential application. Back of eye indications are particularly troubling, with diseases like dry age related macular degeneration having no available therapy. PolyCol’s ability to encourage rapid RPE recovery could make a difference for patients.”

About Stuart Therapeutics:

Stuart Therapeutics is a pre-clinical stage pharmaceutical company focused on the development of PolyCol, a collagen mimetic peptide therapeutic platform. The company is developing ophthalmologic applications for this technology and others.

ST-100 is a candidate therapeutic that is in pre-clinical evaluation and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in treating, preventing, curing or diagnosing any disease or disorder. Similarly, the statements contained in this Announcement have not been evaluated by the FDA and may be considered “forward-looking statements” under applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual performance and financial results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future performance or result expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although forward-looking statements contained in this presentation are based upon what management of Stuart Therapeutics believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Stuart Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Contact:
Stuart Therapeutics, Inc.
StuartTherapeutics.com
Email: [email protected]